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Unformatted text preview: Chapter 7 Research and Evaluation Value of Research &amp; Evaluation Cornerstones of good PR practice Lead us to explore 2 areas essential to success in any PR effort: 1. What we think we know: Do our assumptions hold up under closer examination? 2. What we dont know: Are pieces missing from the puzzle? Dynamic 4 step, non-linear practice Research &amp; evaluation occur at every phase of PR process Both involve using similar methods to gather information. Research is gathering info before the fact and evaluation is gather info after the fact. Developing Research Strategy: What do I want to know? Involves asking yourself 2 important questions: 1. What do I want to know? 2. How will I gather that information? PR research falls into 1 of 4 categories: 1. Client Research 2. Stakeholder Research 3. Problem-Opportunity Research 4. Evaluation Research Can fit into more that one category, however the information itself is way more important that how its categorized Client Research Focuses on individual client, company, or organization practitioner is working for Discovering organizations size Nature of products or services it offers Discover history, staffing requirements, markets and customers, budget, legal environment, reputation, and beliefs about issue Understand organizations mission and goals Stakeholder Research Focuses on identifying the specific publics important to success of client Relation to organization Helps better target the message and the media for that message to the needs of each constituency Problem-Opportunity Research Research designed to answer 2 critical questions: 1. What is at issue? 2. What stake does our organization have in this issue? Develops background information on particular topic or issue Identifies related trends that may have developed Answers key question: Why is it necessary or unecessary for organization to act? Reactive or proactive Reactive:responding to events that could shape destiny Proactive: launching those destiny-shaping events Helps organization decide whether and how to act Evaluation Research Procedures for determining the success of a PR plan - from the very beginning Cannot be an afterthought; practitioners are expected to articulate at the outset of any campaign how success is defined Its not always possible to recreate original conditions once campaign has begun, so determining ways to evaluate success must always be among first things good PR research addresses Quick Check...
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